Gov warns Dems on
angering Fla., Mich. voters
By TOM HESTER Jr.
from AP on the Web, March 28, 2008
TRENTON — New Jersey Gov. Jon
S. Corzine says Democrats risk offending Florida and Michigan voters by
stripping the states of delegates.
Corzine supports Hillary Rodham Clinton for president and was among 10 people
last week guaranteeing $12 million for a new Democratic primary in Michigan.
But Corzine said Thursday on MSNBC that since the money was largely to be raised
by Clinton supporters, the guarantee seemed "too pro-Hillary, too-political."
"On the other hand, the idea of sticking the finger in the eye of the voters of
Florida and Michigan is a huge mistake and I think we'll pay a price for it in
November," said Corzine, endorsed Clinton last April.
Clinton is in a tight race with Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential
nomination, with Obama leading in delegates.
Clinton won Florida and Michigan. But the Democratic Party stripped the
states of delegates because they held primaries earlier than allowed.
Among the 10 people guaranteeing the $12 million, five are major Clinton
fundraisers.
Corzine and Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell guaranteed the $12 million in a March
19 letter to Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. They said the money could be
ready by April 17 and Corzine said he was confident it could easily be raised
over the Internet.
Corzine is among nearly 800 superdelegates — party activists and elected
officials who are not bound by any vote — who will likely enable one of the
candidates to get the 2,025 delegates needed to win the nomination.
Obama has 1,406 pledged delegates to Clinton's 1,249, according to an Associated
Press count.
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